Harley Benton Enhanced Mod

[frannie01]

Hi. Thanks for your help so far this site has been a god send. I’m Now looking at modding my HB Enhanced 4 string by replacing the bridge humbucker. Not sure I want to spend a fortune don’t want to buy a pick up that’s worth more than the bass 😆 but it definitely needs the upgrade.I’m thinking Wilkinson WJM there’s one on Ali Express for £10.99. 
 

I’m not looking to get an exact MM sound already have that on other basses but just want to get a more even blend volume wise between the existing PJ pu and the humbucker.I can’t remember if I’ve had a Wilkinson before( I know the old memories going) so thought I’d inquire here ❓ 🙏🏽 Thanks PF 

[BassApprentice]

Hi!

 

First of all - this topic might belong in the Repairs and Technicals section. A Mod can move it if they see fit.

 

Secondly - I am all for modding and tinkering! However, I don't think a £10.99 Wilkinson pickup will be infinitely better/different than the Roswell pickup that's already in place. Also, I'd be wary of AliExpress selling a branded item for 1/6th of the retail price. of course it could be good pickup but maybe not necessarily a "Wilkinson". Regarding the balance of pickups, have you altered the heights of them?

 

 

[tauzero]

I think they're Wilkinson M-series pickups, which are licensed - I've bought one myself which I'm going to try in a Ray5.

 

https://wilkinsondirect.com/m-series/

[SteveXFR]

The stock Roswell pickups are really pretty decent. You'll be spending good money to beat them. 

You won't get it to sound like a Stingray because the pickup position is wrong and most Stingrays are active. 

 

[Maude]

The Warman 'Stingray' pickup is a very good pickup, and very well priced. 

Whether it'll give you the balance you're after, who knows. As suggested, the pickup heights may be the issue there. 

 

https://www.warmanguitars.co.uk/product/mm4-4-string-bass-humbucker-13-09kohm-4-wire-overwound/

[Rich]

20 hours ago, BassApprentice said:

First of all - this topic might belong in the Repairs and Technicals section. A Mod can move it if they see fit.

Done

 

My 10p - I have no experience of Wilkinson humbuckers but I did have one of their split Ps and it was excellent. Good tone and a very hot output. If you were to go down the Wilks route, I would recommend sourcing it from a more reputable source. I don't trust AliExpress at all.

[lemmywinks]

As already mentioned it won't sound anything like a MM pickup due to being pushed right back against the bridge. If you just want to beef it up a little then the cheap option would be a higher output overwound pickup (Warman do a cheap one) or if you want to spend more money then swap the preamp out one which has adjustable gain for each pickup like an East or something.

[frannie01]

Hi Thank you all for your suggestions. Just to clarify I’d love the option of having a pbass and stingray at my disposal in one bass but this isn’t the bass for all the reasons you’ve all so kindly mentioned. Not even sure the Sandberg California which this bass is modelled could do that either ?) my issues have been the imbalance in out out between the 2 sets of pups 

I’ll look at the Warmans and Wilkinson’s then thank you all for your input 🙏🏽👍🏽

[frannie01]

8 minutes ago, frannie01 said:

Hi.Thank you all for your suggestions. Just to clarify I’d love the option of having a pbass and stingray at my disposal in one bass but this isn’t the bass for all the reasons you’ve all so kindly mentioned. Not even sure the Sandberg California which this bass is modelled could do that either ?) my issues have been the imbalance in out put between the 2 sets of pups. 

I’ll look at the Warmans and Wilkinson’s then &  thank you all for your input 🙏🏽👍🏽

 

Edited Wednesday at 15:23 by frannie01

[lemmywinks]

11 minutes ago, frannie01 said:

Hi Thank you all for your suggestions. Just to clarify I’d love the option of having a pbass and stingray at my disposal in one bass but this isn’t the bass for all the reasons you’ve all so kindly mentioned. Not even sure the Sandberg California which this bass is modelled could do that either ?) my issues have been the imbalance in out out between the 2 sets of pups 

I’ll look at the Warmans and Wilkinson’s then thank you all for your input 🙏🏽👍🏽

 

 

The bass you're after would look like this:

 

[frannie01]

15 minutes ago, frannie01 said:

Sorry just one more thing would I be right in assuming  that  the Alnicos have a higher output than the ceramics ?? 🙏🏽

 

15 minutes ago, frannie01 said:

 

 

Edited Wednesday at 15:31 by frannie01

[frannie01]

1 minute ago, lemmywinks said:

Wow nice, ta for that 🙏🏽👍🏽

 

The bass you're after would look like this:

 

 

[SteveXFR]

Some ceramic pickups are more powerful than some alnico pickups although that doesn't really effect tone. 

My old Sterling Ray35 sounded really close to a MM Stingray and that had alnico pickups with a Darkglass tone capsule preamp. 

[frannie01]

On 18/02/2025 at 13:43, BassApprentice said:

Thanks all valid points, raising them, I didn’t think of that ? Great, that’s my next job. I’ve been re setting the bridges and action on both uprights today so will give that a go later. As a footnote Ive tried later in life not to “spend” my way out of any issue & to be honest I’m ok for now with the hb being what it is. It’s good to get some feed back though (pardon the pun 👍🏽)

 

On 18/02/2025 at 13:43, BassApprentice said:

Hi!

 

First of all - this topic might belong in the Repairs and Technicals section. A Mod can move it if they see fit.

 

Secondly - I am all for modding and tinkering! However, I don't think a £10.99 Wilkinson pickup will be infinitely better/different than the Roswell pickup that's already in place. Also, I'd be wary of AliExpress selling a branded item for 1/6th of the retail price. of course it could be good pickup but maybe not necessarily a "Wilkinson". Regarding the balance of pickups, have you altered the heights of them?

 

 

 

[frannie01]

1 hour ago, SteveXFR said:

Some ceramic pickups are more powerful than some alnico pickups although that doesn't really effect tone. 

My old Sterling Ray35 sounded really close to a MM Stingray and that had alnico pickups with a Darkglass tone capsule preamp. 

Ok that’s handy to know. I’d read that Alnicos because of their content had a higher out put.The roswells on the HB are ceramic that’s why I was considering an upgrade grade. Strangely enough  I forgot to raise them (as someone mention on this is thread)  to see if there would be a marked different, so I’ll try that first. I’m glad I started asking around here though 👍🏽

[frannie01]

1 minute ago, frannie01 said:

Ok that’s handy to know. I’d read that Alnicos because of their content had a higher out put.The roswells on the HB are ceramic that’s why I was considering an upgrade. Strangely enough  I forgot to raise them (as someone mention on this is thread)  to see if there would be a marked difference , so I’ll try that first. I’m glad I started asking around here though 👍🏽

 

Edited Wednesday at 18:34 by frannie01

[frannie01]

Just now, frannie01 said:

That does look nice actually 

 

Just now, frannie01 said:

 

 

3 hours ago, lemmywinks said:

 

 

The bass you're after would look like this:

 

 

[frannie01]

On 19/02/2025 at 09:51, Rich said:

 

My 10p - I have no experience of Wilkinson humbuckers but I did have one of their split Ps and it was excellent. Good tone and a very hot output. If you were to go down the Wilks route, I would recommend sourcing it from a more reputable source. I don't trust AliExpress at all.

yes can’t find any lovers of Ali express here 😆

 

 I’m still in two minds re the mod and a few things to consider the position is quite close to the bridge so maybe that’s the issue ? 

 

Done 

 

Edited Thursday at 10:28 by Rich

[frannie01]

23 hours ago, Maude said:

The Warman 'Stingray' pickup is a very good pickup, and very well priced. 

Whether it'll give you the balance you're after, who knows. As suggested, the pickup heights may be the issue there. 

 

https://www.warmanguitars.co.uk/product/mm4-4-string-bass-humbucker-13-09kohm-4-wire-overwound/

Yeah they do look good and really well priced, the bumpf indicates they’d be a higher output the my existing one. Thanks 🙏🏽  

[lemmywinks]

1 hour ago, frannie01 said:

 

 

 

RE AliExpress - I use it regularly and there's a ton of nice parts on there, namely some really good inexpensive bridges and other bits of hardware. I'd avoid Wilkinson stuff on there though as there's always a chance is might be a fake. There are/were fake WIlkinsons and according to the head guy at Harley Benton that's why they had to stop using them.

 

I have a set of the Wilinson WOJB5 ceramic magnet Jazz pickups in my backup bass and they sound great, a bit more aggressive than regular J pickups but that's not a bad thing and I use that bass as my main instrument for any heavier dep gigs I get. They were initially a temporary measure but they're more than good enough to stay. I wouldn't worry about it unless it's not the sound you like.

[SteveXFR]

Unfortunately the don't do a Stingray style humbucker but Tonerider pickups are pretty good and decent value. I've used their classic P style pickup before and it sounded great. A good upgrade on my old Squier, at least as good as Mexican Fender pickups.